6 great plants for late summer colour

When the first flush of summer flowers is over, gardens can start to look a bit tired by the time August arrives. But don’t despair – there are plenty of plants that look fantastic at this time of year and will go on flowering well into autumn. Here are a few ideas to bring the colour back to your garden in August.

6 plants for a splash of late summer colour

1. Hydrangeas come in a wide range these days, from the traditional mopheads in pink, white or blue (depending on your soil pH) to the huge round flowerheads of Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’ or the long pendulous flowers of Hydrangea paniculata. Flowering from mid-summer into autumn, hydrangeas make a big impact in a mixed border and are great for shady gardens. They’ll grow in full sun, too, provided the soil doesn’t dry out and the smaller mopheads do well in pots.

2. Rudbeckia (coneflowers) have bold, daisy-like flowers with prominent dark centres. They’re enormously popular with bees and other pollinators, and their rich glowing colours fit perfectly into the late summer garden. Leave the seedheads on the stems after the flowers have faded to provide food for goldfinches and other small birds.

3. Hebe are bushy evergreen shrubs with purple, pink or white flowers in summer and into autumn. The leaves can be ornamental too, often tinged with pink or variegated. Plants range from 30cm (1ft) up to 1.2m (4ft) tall. They like sunshine and need soil that drains freely.

4. Michaelmas daisies (previously called Aster, now Symphyotrichum) look beautiful in late summer and early autumn, with large clusters of daisy-like flowers in jewel-like colours. The plants vary in size from compact domes to large perennials with arching stems, so there’s one for every garden.

5. Japanese anemones (Anemone x hybrida and Anemone hupehensis) are perfect for shady spots, with bold maple-shaped leaves and tall stems bearing big, cup-shaped flowers in shades of pink or white. They appear reliably year after year and are great for low-maintenance gardens.

6. Dahlias come in an almost unlimited variety of colours and sizes, from dainty pom-pom dahlias to huge spectacular dinner plate dahlias with enormous blooms. If regularly deadheaded, they’ll keep flowering right up to the first frosts.

Want to add some extra colour to your garden this summer? Come in and see our fantastic range of plants – we’re sure you’ll find what you’re looking for!